Wilkes-Barre record vol. 9 no. 67

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
THE UTAH CONTEST IN THE HOUSE.
Benj. Wood, of New York, Appears and Qualifies as a Member—Mr. Cox, of New York, Criticises the Ceitificate Given to Mr. Campbell.
By Telegraph to the RECORD.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.—Mr. Bayard, from the Senate Finance Committee, reported with a recommendation that it pass the Mor-rill Tariff Commission bill and also with an adverse report to the Garland Commission bill. He said he favored the mode of consti-tuting the commission prescribed in the former (naming from among the civilians) as tending to remove the tariff question from the arena of sectional or partisan feeling, of the existence of which Congressmen were fully conscious. Proceeding to argue the necessity for the immediate action to correct incongruities of inefficiency of the existing tariff, and characterized it as class legislation for the benefit of a few.
He repudiated the doctrine that what is wanted is a tariff for protection with inci-dental revenue and argued that taxation to be just must be uniform, and to be uniform must be universal. The paramount pur-chase in tariff taxation should be to provide for the expenses of the government, and the incidentil result of this in fostering our in-dustries might be wisely considered, not as the controlling motive in laying the taxes, but as one of its inevitable results.
He did not propose now to discuss the principles of tariff taxation at any length. They were sworn to be acted upon by the representatives of the people. The war taxes of the present tarriff were out of date in a time of peace. In illustration of this he referred to the duties on various articles.
Mr. Beck opposed the bill as a cunning scheme of monopolists for delay, to which they had resorted not only as a means of preventing legislation by the present Con-gress, but of whitewashing all the enormities of the high protective system The evident purpose of the so-called protectionists, as shown by the declarations of their organs and conventions was to have a commission which would be committed to their interest.
After detailing at much length the irregu-larities and inequalities of the present sys-tem and advocating a tariff for revenue framed, so as to be readily understood and adjusted upon ad valorem principles, as far as practicable, Mr. Beck closed by criticising with sumo severity the recommendations of the Secretary of the Treasury for the with-drawal of silver certificates and the placing of currency in the hands of the National Banks. He incidentally referred to what he called the absurdity ot any effort to abolish internal taxation inview of the present wants of the Treasury.
Mr. Morrill replied briefly to Mr. Beck and upon the conclusion of his remarks the Chair laid before the Senate the unfinished Sher-man funding bill. At 4:20 the Senate ad-journed until to-morrow.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. Mr. Wood, of New York, appeared at the bar of the House and qualified as a member. The House then, as the regular order, resumed the consideration of the Utah contested election cases, the pending resolution being that offered by Mr. Haskell, of Kansas, declaring that "Allen G. Campbell, delegate-elect from Utah Terri-tory, is entitled to be sworn as a delegate on
Mr. Heed (Me.) offered as a substitute a resolution referring to the Committee on Elections the question of the prima facie right as between Campbell and Cannon to be sworn in as delegate from Utah, together with all certificates and papers presented on each side, with instructions to that committee to report at as early a day as possible.
Mr. Haskell spoke on the Utah contest, and in conclusion, called attention to the fact that for years the Democratic side had in-sisted that when a man comes to this body bearing in his hands the certificate of the Governor of his sovereign State that he should be sworn in, and the Republican side had acquiesced. "How will the country" he said, "Look at the action of the House which has always construed the certificates liberally, when, for the first time in the his-tory of the American Congress, it turns microscopic harping, pettifogging eye on this question in behalf of the scarlet-robed harlot who sits enthroned amid the hills of Utah.
Mr. Cox then proceeded to read and criti-cise the certificate given to Mr. Campbell by Governor Murray, holding that it was ap-parent from the document itself that the largest number of votes had been cast for Cannon. What right had the Governor to decide the question of citizenship? Who gave this creature of Congress the right to decide on the qualifications of a citizen? The innuendo of the Governor in putting the words "being a citizen" was that Can-non was not a citizen and 18,000 votes should go for nothing. He knew what this attempt meant. It meant that, the people were so opposed to polygamy that they would not allow the representative system to go on according to its old custom and laws. The time would come—the time was now coming when this Congress would have to deal with polygamy. He knew what was coming on this subject, and he believed that there was not a manon the Democratic side who would not give his voice and his vote in uprooting this great evil which afflicted a Territory in the midst of the continents.
Mr. Reed (Me.) modified his substitute so as to refer to the Committee on Elections not only the prima facie case but also the final decision of the contest. He then pro-ceeded to argue in favor of his proposition. He thought that the Governor had been mis-led by feeling into doing something which calm consideration would not have per-mitted him to do. The whole question was one apart from any question of polygamy or politics. The Republican party had for twenty years pledged itself to put down slavery and polygamy. Half of that duty it had performed without any resistance from the gentleman from New York (Mr. Cox.)
Mr. McCoid (Iowa) sent to the Clerk's desk and had read a resolution, which he said he would offer at the proper time as a substitute for the pending resolution. It re-cites that Utah is under the control of an as-sociation which maintains the immoral doc-trines and practices of polygamy in violation of the constitution of the United States and in insurrectionary defiance of the legislative and executive and judicial power of the gov-ernment, that the territory thus usurped by the barbarous institution of polygamy be-longs to the United States; that the federal government stands responsible in sight of God and the bar of the enlightened public opinion of the civilized world for the con-tinuance of this crime against morality and marriage, and that the institu-tion of polygamy is an usurpation by the Mormons incapable of any constitutional existence and utterly lawless, and resolving that a solemn duty is cast on Congress to wholly absolve the general government from any sufferance or continuance of the institu-tion of polygamy and by every means in its power to enforce the laws against it; that it is inconsistent with the rights and dignity of the House that the Territory of Utah, which is so flagrantly controlled by the institution of polygamy should be entitled to represen-tation on the floor of the House; that the delegates claiming the seat from that Terri-tory, are hereby declared disqualified, and that all the papers in the case be referred to the Committee on Elections, with instruc-tions to present a bill declaring with effect, the judgment of the House as herein ex-pressed. Mr. Coid made an exhaustive argument in support of his proposition.
Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, argued in favor of referring the whole matter to the Com-mittee on Elections, and Messrs. Browne, of Indiana, and Van Voorhees, of New York, contended that Mr. Campbell should be given his seat on the prima facie case.
Mr. Converse, Ohio, took still another ground, holding that upon the certificate taken in connection with the other papers in the case, Mr. Cannon was entitled to be sworn in.
Mr. Hiscock, of New York, commented upon the speech made this morning by his colleague. He (Cox) said that for twenty years polygamy had thriven and argued that the system was so pernicious that it needed to be stamped out, though his argument had been in favor of it.
Mr. Cox, you will allow me to correct you. I said this, that the people of Utah had their virtues in spite of their polygamy.
Mr. Hiscock, I don't want to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman of the 120,000 Mormons in the Territory, 30,000 at least are of foreign birth, and 75,000 are the result of polygamous intercourse between foreign parents. The state of this union only con-stitute to the community some 6,000 or 7,000. Here is the great cesspool in our country which is receiving daily contributions, if not from the evil, yet from the ignorant of every European nation, and if the question should be fairly presented here, whether this organ-ization should have are presentation on this floor, I am unprepared to state now how I should vote.
Mr. Robinson (N.J.) had come to the conclusion that the certificate held by Mr. Campbell was founded on the decision by the Governor of outside questions which he was not by law authorized to decide and which when they were disputed made a con-test which must under the rules and prac-tice of the House be referred to the Com-mittee on Elections.
Mr. Haskell then demanded the previous questions which being seconded cut off. Mr. Marsh (Ill.) who desired to offer a resolu-tion directing the Committee on Elections to report on the fact whether either of the claimants were practical polygamists.
Mr. Haskell then stated that he desired to offer a resolution giving certain instruc-tions to the Committee on Elections in case the matter was referred to it. It was read and the Speaker held that it did not give such instructions to the committee as were comprehended in the rules, and therefore ruled it out of order.
Mr. Reed's substitute was then adopted, 189 to 24, the negative votes being all Re-publican, and the contested case was thereby referred to the Committee on Elections. Mr. Haskell then desired to offer his resolu-tion as a privileged question, but was cut off by a motion to adjourn, which was at 4:50 carried.

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PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS
THE UTAH CONTEST IN THE HOUSE.
Benj. Wood, of New York, Appears and Qualifies as a Member—Mr. Cox, of New York, Criticises the Ceitificate Given to Mr. Campbell.
By Telegraph to the RECORD.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.—Mr. Bayard, from the Senate Finance Committee, reported with a recommendation that it pass the Mor-rill Tariff Commission bill and also with an adverse report to the Garland Commission bill. He said he favored the mode of consti-tuting the commission prescribed in the former (naming from among the civilians) as tending to remove the tariff question from the arena of sectional or partisan feeling, of the existence of which Congressmen were fully conscious. Proceeding to argue the necessity for the immediate action to correct incongruities of inefficiency of the existing tariff, and characterized it as class legislation for the benefit of a few.
He repudiated the doctrine that what is wanted is a tariff for protection with inci-dental revenue and argued that taxation to be just must be uniform, and to be uniform must be universal. The paramount pur-chase in tariff taxation should be to provide for the expenses of the government, and the incidentil result of this in fostering our in-dustries might be wisely considered, not as the controlling motive in laying the taxes, but as one of its inevitable results.
He did not propose now to discuss the principles of tariff taxation at any length. They were sworn to be acted upon by the representatives of the people. The war taxes of the present tarriff were out of date in a time of peace. In illustration of this he referred to the duties on various articles.
Mr. Beck opposed the bill as a cunning scheme of monopolists for delay, to which they had resorted not only as a means of preventing legislation by the present Con-gress, but of whitewashing all the enormities of the high protective system The evident purpose of the so-called protectionists, as shown by the declarations of their organs and conventions was to have a commission which would be committed to their interest.
After detailing at much length the irregu-larities and inequalities of the present sys-tem and advocating a tariff for revenue framed, so as to be readily understood and adjusted upon ad valorem principles, as far as practicable, Mr. Beck closed by criticising with sumo severity the recommendations of the Secretary of the Treasury for the with-drawal of silver certificates and the placing of currency in the hands of the National Banks. He incidentally referred to what he called the absurdity ot any effort to abolish internal taxation inview of the present wants of the Treasury.
Mr. Morrill replied briefly to Mr. Beck and upon the conclusion of his remarks the Chair laid before the Senate the unfinished Sher-man funding bill. At 4:20 the Senate ad-journed until to-morrow.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10. Mr. Wood, of New York, appeared at the bar of the House and qualified as a member. The House then, as the regular order, resumed the consideration of the Utah contested election cases, the pending resolution being that offered by Mr. Haskell, of Kansas, declaring that "Allen G. Campbell, delegate-elect from Utah Terri-tory, is entitled to be sworn as a delegate on
Mr. Heed (Me.) offered as a substitute a resolution referring to the Committee on Elections the question of the prima facie right as between Campbell and Cannon to be sworn in as delegate from Utah, together with all certificates and papers presented on each side, with instructions to that committee to report at as early a day as possible.
Mr. Haskell spoke on the Utah contest, and in conclusion, called attention to the fact that for years the Democratic side had in-sisted that when a man comes to this body bearing in his hands the certificate of the Governor of his sovereign State that he should be sworn in, and the Republican side had acquiesced. "How will the country" he said, "Look at the action of the House which has always construed the certificates liberally, when, for the first time in the his-tory of the American Congress, it turns microscopic harping, pettifogging eye on this question in behalf of the scarlet-robed harlot who sits enthroned amid the hills of Utah.
Mr. Cox then proceeded to read and criti-cise the certificate given to Mr. Campbell by Governor Murray, holding that it was ap-parent from the document itself that the largest number of votes had been cast for Cannon. What right had the Governor to decide the question of citizenship? Who gave this creature of Congress the right to decide on the qualifications of a citizen? The innuendo of the Governor in putting the words "being a citizen" was that Can-non was not a citizen and 18,000 votes should go for nothing. He knew what this attempt meant. It meant that, the people were so opposed to polygamy that they would not allow the representative system to go on according to its old custom and laws. The time would come—the time was now coming when this Congress would have to deal with polygamy. He knew what was coming on this subject, and he believed that there was not a manon the Democratic side who would not give his voice and his vote in uprooting this great evil which afflicted a Territory in the midst of the continents.
Mr. Reed (Me.) modified his substitute so as to refer to the Committee on Elections not only the prima facie case but also the final decision of the contest. He then pro-ceeded to argue in favor of his proposition. He thought that the Governor had been mis-led by feeling into doing something which calm consideration would not have per-mitted him to do. The whole question was one apart from any question of polygamy or politics. The Republican party had for twenty years pledged itself to put down slavery and polygamy. Half of that duty it had performed without any resistance from the gentleman from New York (Mr. Cox.)
Mr. McCoid (Iowa) sent to the Clerk's desk and had read a resolution, which he said he would offer at the proper time as a substitute for the pending resolution. It re-cites that Utah is under the control of an as-sociation which maintains the immoral doc-trines and practices of polygamy in violation of the constitution of the United States and in insurrectionary defiance of the legislative and executive and judicial power of the gov-ernment, that the territory thus usurped by the barbarous institution of polygamy be-longs to the United States; that the federal government stands responsible in sight of God and the bar of the enlightened public opinion of the civilized world for the con-tinuance of this crime against morality and marriage, and that the institu-tion of polygamy is an usurpation by the Mormons incapable of any constitutional existence and utterly lawless, and resolving that a solemn duty is cast on Congress to wholly absolve the general government from any sufferance or continuance of the institu-tion of polygamy and by every means in its power to enforce the laws against it; that it is inconsistent with the rights and dignity of the House that the Territory of Utah, which is so flagrantly controlled by the institution of polygamy should be entitled to represen-tation on the floor of the House; that the delegates claiming the seat from that Terri-tory, are hereby declared disqualified, and that all the papers in the case be referred to the Committee on Elections, with instruc-tions to present a bill declaring with effect, the judgment of the House as herein ex-pressed. Mr. Coid made an exhaustive argument in support of his proposition.
Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, argued in favor of referring the whole matter to the Com-mittee on Elections, and Messrs. Browne, of Indiana, and Van Voorhees, of New York, contended that Mr. Campbell should be given his seat on the prima facie case.
Mr. Converse, Ohio, took still another ground, holding that upon the certificate taken in connection with the other papers in the case, Mr. Cannon was entitled to be sworn in.
Mr. Hiscock, of New York, commented upon the speech made this morning by his colleague. He (Cox) said that for twenty years polygamy had thriven and argued that the system was so pernicious that it needed to be stamped out, though his argument had been in favor of it.
Mr. Cox, you will allow me to correct you. I said this, that the people of Utah had their virtues in spite of their polygamy.
Mr. Hiscock, I don't want to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman of the 120,000 Mormons in the Territory, 30,000 at least are of foreign birth, and 75,000 are the result of polygamous intercourse between foreign parents. The state of this union only con-stitute to the community some 6,000 or 7,000. Here is the great cesspool in our country which is receiving daily contributions, if not from the evil, yet from the ignorant of every European nation, and if the question should be fairly presented here, whether this organ-ization should have are presentation on this floor, I am unprepared to state now how I should vote.
Mr. Robinson (N.J.) had come to the conclusion that the certificate held by Mr. Campbell was founded on the decision by the Governor of outside questions which he was not by law authorized to decide and which when they were disputed made a con-test which must under the rules and prac-tice of the House be referred to the Com-mittee on Elections.
Mr. Haskell then demanded the previous questions which being seconded cut off. Mr. Marsh (Ill.) who desired to offer a resolu-tion directing the Committee on Elections to report on the fact whether either of the claimants were practical polygamists.
Mr. Haskell then stated that he desired to offer a resolution giving certain instruc-tions to the Committee on Elections in case the matter was referred to it. It was read and the Speaker held that it did not give such instructions to the committee as were comprehended in the rules, and therefore ruled it out of order.
Mr. Reed's substitute was then adopted, 189 to 24, the negative votes being all Re-publican, and the contested case was thereby referred to the Committee on Elections. Mr. Haskell then desired to offer his resolu-tion as a privileged question, but was cut off by a motion to adjourn, which was at 4:50 carried.